The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
